The family of a mum killed in a hit-and-run say a “bright light has gone out of their lives and it will never be the same again” after a wealthy London businessman was jailed for causing her death by driving dangerously.

Kate Bailey’s body was found in a ditch beside Trewiston Lane near St Minver in north Cornwall on July 18 last year, just yards from her parents’ house.

Mrs Bailey, a 45-year-old mother-of-one, had been walking home with her two collies in a high-vis jacket after shutting up her chickens and checking on her parents for whom she cared.

The company director, who runs a family business selling safety equipment around the world, previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving whilst uninsured and the lesser charge of causing death by careless driving.

In a victim impact statement read out outside court, the family said her death was not only a devastating loss to them but also to the community. More than 500 people attended her funeral and on the anniversary of her death many flowers were laid where she died.

Kate Bailey

Kate’s mother Frances Kent said: “Kate had lived on the farm with her husband Alan for 25 years and walked down that road every day to come and help us out at home. She always took safety very seriously wearing a high-vis jacket when near the roads.

“We are now one year on from that night that changed our lives forever and as time has gone on the impact of our loss is more deeply felt every day.

“Her dad is in poor health having suffered with heart problems and I’ve had to overcome bowel cancer in the past year. We have had to go through all this without Kate who was our rock.

Kate Bailey's family read a statement outside court (Image: BBC)

“Not only have we lost our carer but a very special person. Kate was always cheerful, creating happiness around her and made people smile.

"Even now when we talk about her there is a happiness she left. People very often said that when Kate called she never failed to cheer them up. A bright light has gone out in our lives and it will never be the same again.

“Nothing will ever bring her back and we hope this sends out a message to all drivers to take responsibility for their actions on the roads.”

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Throughout the trial the jury heard from prosecutor Stephen Mooney, who said that Kane was distracted from the road as he was monitoring a Great Western Rail app which told him the location of a train he hoped to catch to London, to then catch a flight to Frankfurt, Germany for a business meeting.

On the night in question Kane, a married father-of-three, killed Mrs Bailey on impact, propelling her 18 metres into a nearby ditch.

Kane then briefly stopped before getting back into his badly damaged vehicle and driving to train stations at Bodmin and Plymouth to try to catch a sleeper train before eventually leaving his vehicle at Exeter St David’s station where he boarded the train.

The court heard how the front nearside of the Land Rover Defender was severely damaged by the collision.

The headlight was still working but pointing at a skewed angle. Parts of the headlight mounting were found at the scene and a plastic wheel arch had become detached and was found later in the back of the car. The bonnet of the Land Rover was also severely dented by the impact.

The stretch of Trewiston Lane, near St Minver, where Catherine Bailey was killed by Land Rover driver Jonathan Kane (Image: Google)

Kane has a small interest in Cornish Crabbers boat manufacturing business in Rock and has owned a second home in Trebetherick, near Polzeath since the late 1990s.

Sentencing Kane, Judge Robert Linford said: “On July 18 you left home to try and make a train from Bodmin to London Paddington. At Trewiston Lane near St Minver you momentarily glanced at an app to see if you were running on time.

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“In those few seconds as you glanced down you failed to see Catherine Bailey who was walking along the side of the road with her two dogs wearing a high visibility jacket.

“You struck her and killed her instantly. I am sure that you did not know what you hit and I am sure you looked for what you hit but saw and heard nothing.

“You did not know that a matter of metres to the rear of your Land Rover Catherine Bailey lay dead by a ditch on the side of the road. After the collision you believed the vehicle to be safe and drove on before catching the train.

“You made your trip abroad and whilst in Germany learned of the accident as you then believed it to have been. You made efforts to return to the South West to surrender but by that time the police already knew it was you they were looking for.

“As a result of your decision to look at your phone Alan lost a wife, Zoe lost a mum and Frances and Kate’s father lost a cheerful, happy daughter at a time they both needed her.

“The mitigation available says that you are hardworking, generous, decent and charitable family man who on one day of your life made the most crass decision with the most catastrophic of consequences.

Jonathan Kane at Truro Crown Court

“The fact is that not only did your decision to look at the app destroy the lives of Alan, Zoe and the family, but also your life and those of your own family.

“I’m satisfied you had no idea you had struck a person and if you had I’m sure you would have stopped and done what you can to have helped.

“You have shown remorse and lead a hard-working and industrious life. At interview you asked to speak to the family of Kate Bailey.

“These are the most difficult cases that a judge has to sentence and no balance can be struck between a loss of life and a defendant such as you. No matter what I do it’s obvious Kate will never come back.”

In addition to the two year sentence, Kane was handed a five year driving ban but had already stated during the trial he will never drive again.